A betting man will choose the Chiefs 10 days from 10 for this match between the Lions and the Chiefs, to be played rather late at night on Friday in SA.

In addition, the Chiefs are a finalist of 2009’s Super 14 and have just come off a win in attrocious conditions against the Sharks in Durban, whereas the Lions looked ordinary in last week’s 1st half against the Stormers and better in the 2nd half but still unable to make an impact.

Somebody mentioned to me the other day that the Lions are a side full of ordinary Club players and an ageing former star (Spencer) who produced nothing of substance. One cannot help but agreeing somewhat with those sentiments but it is not all true, they have Heinke van der Merwe, they have Baywatch Grobler…. and who else….. OK, they have those 2.

The Chiefs have a plethera of game breakers… Sivivatu, Lauaki, Messam, de Malmanche, Latimer, Brendon Leonard… just naming a few. To rights they should have the superior firepower over the Lions.

But the Lions seldom lie down to be kicked, they fight till they lose in the end, so here’s hoping they bring their A-Game to the Coke Tin on Friday evening.

My prediction is simple, a bonus point win for the chiefs… by 18 Plus.

Previous Super 14 results:
2009: Chiefs won 36-29 (Hamilton)
2008: Lions won 33-27 (Johannesburg)
2007: Chiefs won 34-7 (Hamilton)
2006: Lions won 21-16 (Johannesburg)

Teams:

Lions: 15 Earl Rose, 14 Tonderai Chavhanga, 13 Deon van Rensburg, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Wandile Mjekevu, 10 Carlos Spencer, 9 JP Joubert, 8 Todd Clever, 7 Derick Minnie, 6 Cobus Grobbelaar (captain), 5 Willem Stoltz, 4 Franco van der Merwe, 3 Ross Geldenhuys, 2 Hannes Franklin, 1 Heinke van der Merwe
Replacements: 16 Charles Emslie, 17 JC Janse van Rensburg / Kevin Buys, 18 Jacques Lombaard, 19 Jonathan Mokuena, 20 Jacques Coetzee, 21 Burton Francis, 22 Michael Killian

Chiefs: 15 Mike Delany, 14 Dwayne Sweeney, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Callum Bruce, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Stephen Donald, 9 Junior Poluleuligaga, 8 Sione Lauaki (captain), 7 Luke Braid, 6 Liam Messam, 5 Culum Retallick, 4 Craig Clarke, 3 Nathan White, 2 Aled de Malmanche, 1 Sona Taumalolo.
Replacements: 16 Hika Elliot, 17 Ben Afeaki, 18 Jarrad Hoeata, 19 Tanerau Latimer, 20 Brendon Leonard, 21 Jackson Willison, 22 Tim Nanai-Williams.

Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
Assistant referees: Stuart Berry (South Africa), Sindile Mayende (South Africa)
TMO: Johann Meuwesen (South Africa)